How do you clean stuff like this?

[dr_pangloss]

I found some old buttons and costume jewelry, how to clean stuff like this, wouldn't vinegar eat it alive?

The brooch has two stones (glass?) still in it

 

[redcobra8u]

Baking soda in foil and pour in boiling water. See if that works. If not, I'd do electrolosis on it.

 

[dirtdigginfool]

It's old, it's nice and I like it just the way it is...patina is cool...ddf

 

[ScubaDetector]

The second picture looks like a reflector off a bike.

I am not the best one to clean anything. I collect the stuff but have no idea how to clean anything

 

[trapperart]

Congrats

 

[HCW]

Definitely NOT BOILING WATER!
I have tried that a couple times and ruined both. One was a mint general service Union button and I took most of the gilt off.
The second was a brooch like yours and the stone dropped out as I picked it up out of the cooled water afterwards.

 

[Trezurehunter]

I'm with Dirtdigginfool. I dont clean any finds, even coins, except to water them off and get rid of the dirt. I like the patiina and "old" look.

 

[dr_pangloss]

Ok, even with no cleaning, I would like to know more about the item, which starts with what metal it's made of. How to know? This brooch, it is very thin, but the detail is crazy, it has many stamped 1mm repeating patterns/details. It even still has the pin on the back.

So when I find something like this, it's not ferrous because it's not rusted. It's thin, it's not green or tarnished... should I guess some kind of tin or did they ever use aluminum for jewelry? I have a metals test kit, it isn't silver.

I am using an excal on land, so this doesn't 'ring up' to a number.

BTW the red glass item looks like a dashboard item from an old car, there's no reflective surface inside, looks like it was backlit.

 

[dr_pangloss]

Any future guys, that instrument panel light is here:
Buy LQQK! Vintage RED JEWEL Old Dash Instrument Panel TAIL ? Light Auto Car AnTiQuE motorcycle in Indianola, Iowa, United States

 

[CRUSADER]

Ok, even with no cleaning, I would like to know more about the item, which starts with what metal it's made of. How to know? This brooch, it is very thin, but the detail is crazy, it has many stamped 1mm repeating patterns/details. It even still has the pin on the back.

So when I find something like this, it's not ferrous because it's not rusted. It's thin, it's not green or tarnished... should I guess some kind of tin or did they ever use aluminum for jewelry? I have a metals test kit, it isn't silver.

I am using an excal on land, so this doesn't 'ring up' to a number.

BTW the red glass item looks like a dashboard item from an old car, there's no reflective surface inside, looks like it was backlit.

Although not green the base metal which is left & was probably once gilt will be some mix of copper-alloy.

 

[IAMZIM]

Baking soda in foil and pour in boiling water. See if that works. If not, I'd do electrolosis on it.

I would NOT put it in boiling water! If the stone is glass, or actually a gemstone, boiling water could cause it to explode, and injure you! No joke! I was once washing the mud off of an amethyst that I found with only LUKE warm water, it exploded, and I nearly lost an eye. I had a nice gash in my cheek where one of the sharp shards had grazed it as it wizzed by like a bullet. Not only did I get injured, but I lost a gem quality amethyst in the process! Use room temp water to wash it!

 

[against the wind]

That brooch looks to have some age attached to it.
I would let it soak in distilled water to try to neutralize any kind of acidic reaction it may be experiencing. Other then lightly picking away dirt with a toothpick,
I would leave it as is. Then I might consider putting it in a small frame and hanging it on the wall.
Congratulations.

 

[A2coins]

If you don't care about its value and want it to show nice clean it If you want it for collector value leave it alone!!!!!!

 

[dr_pangloss]

I don't really relic hunt for value, i mean what's the worth of this? Part of cleaning it is to date it, find out more about it, then maybe display it. It's def not nice jewelry, it's very thin, like soda can thin, but I can't google up anything like it.